Sahiwal, mentally ill Christian accused of blasphemy

Farhan Javed, 28, lives in a small village with his widowed mother. Family members: ‘Fair investigation taking into account his mental state’. Ashknaz Khokhar, activist: ‘Authorities must treat the case with attention to human rights’. Joseph Janssen, defender of minorities: ‘Extremist groups act without consequences’.

Sahiwal (AsiaNews) - Farhan Javed, a 28 year old Christian from the Sahiwal district, has been accused of blasphemy, as is often the case with minority groups in Pakistan. The young man suffers from serious mental health problems: his fragile condition was not taken into account at all by the accusers. Farhan Javed lives in a small village with his widowed mother and his life is already marked by extreme poverty. ‘He no longer understands the implications of his words and actions. All we ask for is a justice that reflects his vulnerabilities,’ his family members plead.

The accusations were made by two local Muslims, who reported to the local police their encounter with the young Christian while they were working in the fields. According to the report, Farhan Javed came to them uttering blasphemous comments against Islam, saying that he would not befriend Muslims, as they were unable to relate because they were false. After his statements, the two tried to catch him but he ran away, so they went to the village and told them what happened. The Muslims in the village were outraged and filed a complaint against Farhan Javed at the local police station. The police arrested Farhan the same day. The Christians in the village are frightened.

Farhan's relatives insist that his long history of mental instability and his recent deterioration must be taken into account. They said that Farhan has been prey to a severe drug addiction and that the last two months have been particularly impactful. For them, any trial must definitely be accompanied by a thorough medical examination, for a fair investigation that takes into account his mental state.

A local human rights activist, Ashknaz Khokhar, is of the same opinion. ‘There is an extreme need for an impartial investigation into the case and a full assessment of Farhan's mental health,’ he told AsiaNews. ‘If he is mentally unstable, he cannot be held responsible in the same way as a fully capable individual. The authorities must treat this case carefully and according to human rights values.’

Joseph Janssen, a prominent minority rights activist - also engaged in recent weeks in defence of the kiln slaves - expressed great concern about the Pakistani authorities' inability to conduct fair and impartial investigations in blasphemy cases, particularly against Christians. Janssen pointed out that in many cases, mentally unstable and innocent people are targeted without any due process. ‘It seems that Pakistan abandons justice when it comes to blasphemy charges,’ Janssen stated. ‘None of the planned legal processes are conducted after the registration of a First Information Report (FIR). The authorities claim to have appointed officials to handle these sensitive cases, but the reality on the ground paints a different picture,’ the activist added.

Janssen reiterated how rampant the misuse of blasphemy laws has become and how false accusations raise alarm. The mere accusation of blasphemy is often enough to trigger immediate arrests, mob violence and prolonged detention without any semblance of due process. Even the death penalty, though rarely carried out. This ‘legal abuse’ has encouraged extremist groups, including the Islamist Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan Party (TLP), which has gained notoriety for inciting violence and manipulating the law.

‘Impunity in blasphemy cases has given extremist groups the ability to act without fear of being held accountable,’ Janssen continued. ‘The presumption of innocence, the cornerstone of justice throughout the world, is completely reversed in Pakistan when it comes to blasphemy charges. Christians are often forced to flee their homes the moment they are accused, because even proving their innocence is not enough to protect them from violence and persecution’.